The Diffusion of Instructional Innovations in the Public Schools of Mississippi (1958-1973) and Arkansas (1966-1973).

Robbins, Jerry H.

An analysis of the findings of three studies that were the bases of doctoral dissertations completed under the direction of the author are presented. The basic source of data was a questionnaire sent to all school superintendents in Mississippi and to a sample of superintendents in Arkansas. Some of the findings included in the synthesis are: (1) research on the diffusion of innovations has progressed in recent years and is moving at an accelerated rate; (2) the largest number of innovation adoptions reported came in the last year, indicating an acceleration in the rate of adoption throughout the period of the study; (3) instructional innovations took place in language arts more than any other subject area, followed by mathematics, science, and social studies; (4) academic programs for the average and below-average ability students received more attention than did those for the over-average; and (5) in general, the data from other States show that both Mississippi and Arkansas are starting late but following the same general adoption patterns that have been set in other States. (Author/MLF)